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Back to Church

Church attendance in our country is in decline, yet the number of those who say they believe is not declining at the same rate. That means that some of us, still believers, don’t see the church as important or necessary. Another reason is that some have been hurt by their experiences in the church.

In either case, I’d plead with people to find a way back. If necessary, find a new church. The relevance of the church is not in its style of worship or the charisma of the pastor or its size. It is found, quite simply, in Christians meeting together with the will to learn more about Jesus and to serve him.

Left on our own, we more easily drift from the practice of our faith. The only input we have in growing our faith is what we already know. The absence of regular input from sermons, classes and small groups make it very easy to drift so far from the practice of our faith that we stagnate. Opportunities to serve may well be narrowed.

Christian faith is not meant to be experienced alone. It is a community of faith. Jesus was careful, when he sent out his disciples, to send them in groups. Left alone we we are in danger of distorting what we think we know in our faith.

In Christian faith we truly need each other. The Church is what Jesus established as a base for meeting, sharing, and learning with other believers.

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church…
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:16…20